Cullowhee, N.C. -- A surging Catamount women's basketball team is headed to the Peach state to face Georgia State on Tuesday night. Western Carolina tips off with the Panthers at 6:30 p.m. in the GSU Convocation Center in Atlanta, Ga. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ (
paid subscription required).
The Catamounts are off to a 4-1 start for the first time since 2007-08 after most recently picking up a win over the USC Upstate Spartans in Spartanburg, S.C. Georgia State comes into Tuesday night's game at 2-2 on the season, but most recently defeated the Georgia Bulldogs 66-60 in Athens on Nov. 14. The Panthers are 1-0 at home this season with a win over Division III foe Berry College 79-57.
Tuesday's Women's Basketball Matchup:
Western Carolina (4-1) at Georgia State (2-2)
Nov. 19, 2024 | GSU Convocation Center | Atlanta, Ga. | 6:30 p.m.
Watch (ESPN+):
https://tinyurl.com/yppjnwvd
Live Stats:
https://tinyurl.com/weamcw3x
Full Court Press:
The feline foes meet on the hardwood for the 16th time in series history, though the meeting is only the seventh since 2000. WCU trails in the series 5-10 with their most recent win coming in Cullowhee during the 2013-14 season. The last Catamount win in Atlanta came during the 2010-11 season, when the Purple and Gold posted a 51-37 win over the Panthers.
The Catamounts have gotten off to a quick start in the 2024-25 campaign, rattling off four wins in their first five games for the first time since the 2007-08 season. WCU is 2-1 on the road in that span, picking up victories over USC Upstate and Radford. The lone blemish on the Catamount record came at the hands of the No. 9 Oklahoma Sooners. Georgia State is 2-2 through their first four games, but picked up a win over the Georgia Bulldogs their last time out. The Panthers fell at Akron and at Georgia Tech to open the season.
Players to Watch:
The Catamounts saw four players hit 10+ points in the road win over the Spartans, but it was
Chelsea Wooten who led the charge for the Purple and Gold. The McKinney, Texas product led the team with a 20-point effort, connecting on 6 of her 9 three-point attempts on the day. She currently leads the conference in three pointers attempted per game and is third in three-pointers made per game.
Tyja Beans has been a force on the glass for the Catamounts early in the season, collecting 42 through only five games so far this season and is currently tied for fourth in the nation in total offensive rebounds with 23. Beans had 123 total rebounds through the entire 2023-24 season and is on pace for over 240 at the moment. She's also been effective offensively, posting back-to-back 14+ point efforts last week (16 vs Oklahoma, 14 vs USC Upstate)
Additionally, it is a homecoming for three Catamounts as
AC Carter,
Nicole Azar, and
Taj Hunter all claim Atlanta as their hometown. A transfer from Georgia Tech, Carter has made an immediate impact through her first five games in the Purple and Gold, leading the team in total points with 68 and placing second in made field goals and three pointers with 25 and 7 respectively.
Georgia State is led by sophomore Crystal Henderson, who tops the team in made field goals, 3-point field goals, points, and assists. She is one of two Panthers to eclipse 50 points on the season and is joined in the milestone by Mikyla Tolivert. The Panther offense is most efficient when forcing turnovers, as Georgia State averages 20+ points per game off of turnovers.
Up Next for The Catamounts:
WCU stays on the road to face the Presbyterian Blue Hose in Clinton, S.C. on Nov. 22 with a 6:30 p.m. tip. The Catamounts then head to Knoxville to take on the Tennessee Lady Vols on Nov. 26 for another 6:30 start. The Catamounts are then set to return home for back-to-back games against the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs on December 6 and the West Georgia Wolves on December 8.
